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Quick Cucumber Pickles

I am a huge fan of pickled things. There are no fewer than 11 pickled foods in my fridge at this very moment, including but not limited to: cornichons, dill pickle spears, hamburger chips, pickled figs, pickled rhubarb, and cocktail onions. I make all sorts of pickles, from baby carrots pickled with honey and mustard seed, to grapes pickled with cinnamon and black pepper, to onions pickled with clove and juniper.

To be clear, this recipe is for quick pickles. Quickles, if you will. Because I have neither the patience nor inclination to do the fermenting required for true pickles. But quick pickles are fun and easy, and this recipe is one of my favorites.

Ingredients

4 cups English or seedless cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds or long sticks, depending on your preference

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup warm water

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

How to Make It

Step 1

Place cucumber pieces in a large bowl. Sprinkle with two teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of salt and massage until they start to give off liquid. Pack tightly into a jar or another container that seals.

Step 2

Mix warm water with remaining sugar to dissolve, then add vinegar and spices. Pour the still warm mixture over the cucumber, and cover. Move to fridge and let cool a minimum of four hours before serving. Will last a week in the fridge.